This invention relates to a process for oil purification and also to apparatus for this purpose. The kind of purification which is concerned is for example the removal of contaminants resulting from use of the oil in centrifugal pumps and compressors which are used for hydro-carbons especially at oil and gas production points. The compressor oil then becomes contaminated by entraining the produced hydro-carbons and/or by carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and water soluble contaminants.
A typical compressor may have a requirement of 100-150 liters per day. There is therefore a need for an economic purification system enabling recovery or recycling of the oil.
A known solution involves air or vacuum treatment but requires an expensive plant with major running costs and consequently the economics of this, especially for use at offshore platforms is marginal.
Attempts have been made to produce a relatively inexpensive plant based on steam distillation at atmospheric pressure for example according to patent GB 2 178 834A, but it is believed that this has not proved to be practical.
The object of the invention is to solve the problem.